Disclaimer: I own only Annabell and David. Let this stick in yer head, 'cause I'm only sayin' it once, savvy?

This is a remake of me original PotC story and I've had some friends read it and see what they had tah say, so I'm hopin' it's much better than what it used tah be. This is set before Dead Man's Chest and Norrington hasn't been fired.

…

I like talkin' like a pirate.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts." Winston Churchill

Chapter 1

Waves lapped at the rocky cliffs of Port Royal, slapping the feet of a nineteen-year-old girl as she slipped and stumbled down a cliff on the outskirts of the small town. It was far from the eyes of the villagers, somewhere where she could get away from all the noise and bustle of early morning activity. She slowly slid down into a crouched position, only to lower her feet to the rocks below. She repeated this process until she was at the bottom.

Annabell Porter was the daughter of a nobleman who was in the marketing business. They had come over from England fourteen years ago. She was independent and tough, with blonde hair pulled back into a tight braid, and fierce blue eyes. Unlike many noblewomen, she hated to be pampered and stuck in dresses all the time. She preferred to wear breeches and a tunic, and to be able to explore and climb trees.

Annabell inched across the rock slowly and carefully, making her way to a small cave in the side of the cliff. It was small and damp, yet big enough to hide a good-sized pirate ship in. She climbed around the side to a place where rocks jutted out high enough to make a good perch. With the waves echoing around the cave, Annabell decided this would be a good get away place to come and read, but she would have to find a much easier way to get there.

She sat down on the rock perch, legs dangling over the edge. She scooted back until her entire body was on the rock and laid back, arms behind her head for support. She closed her eyes, listening to the waves and the gulls outside. This was much more peaceful than any place in England. The sounds mixed together, working their spell and trying to lull her to sleep. Annabell fought it. This was the last place she should fall asleep. She opened her eyes and sat up, back straight. Her eyes scanned the ocean out ahead for nothing in particular, but she did find something. On the horizon was a black dot. It came in steadily. It was a ship, and a good sized one. She was yet unable to see the color of its flag.

Annabell slipped of the perch and down out of the cave. She carefully climbed up the cliff, slipping a few times as the water pounded on her legs. She wanted to be on higher ground incase it was a pirate ship. A cave would be the worse place to be if it was because it would probably take cover in the cave. She hid behind a tall elm tree, and watched patiently. The dot grew bigger slowly, but eventually she could make out the sails of the ship. They weren't black. The ship didn't have a flag at all. It was a fishing ship, coming home from a hard day's work. David was back!

David was an old childhood friend. He was a poor fisherman who was only trying to raise enough money to survive by. He was handsome, but Annabell never felt that way about him. Actually, the thought never really passed through her head. David was just a friend, nothing more.

Annabell ran from her hiding spot, down into town. She wove through the crowds, not stopping until she got to the docks. The smell of sea brine was strong down here, along with the odor of fish. She watched impatiently as David's ship was tied down to the port and until David was firmly on the dock before she flung herself towards him.

"Welcome home David!" She cried happily, burying her face in his chest.

"Lass, I was only gone fer the morning'. Ye probably didn't even notice I was gone." David laughed, giving Annabell a big bear hug.

"Did so. And ye know it." Annabell retorted.

"Aw, Anna, don't talk like that. Ye know yer Pa wouldn't like it if 'e heard ye." David said, releasing his friend from his grip. "Ye remember how I promised to take ye with me on a fishin' trip?"

Annabell nodded, how could she forget? She'd always wanted to go out on a ship, ever since she was five.

"Wake up bright and early, afore the sun rises. Where what yer wearin' now, maybe a dagger. No sword, we got plenty 'o those on the ship." David finished, tousling Anna's hair.

"Thank you David!" Anna said, giving the fisherman an equally strong bear hug. "I won't be late."

After her delightful chat with David, Anna had to leave. It was almost six by the time she stopped at the blacksmith to pick up her father's dagger, and by the time she got home (it was a good distance from the blacksmith to the manor Anna and her father lived in) her father was waiting patiently in the waiting room.

"Annabell, you're home. And why on earth are you dressed like a pirate?" Her father asked.

"I was down at the caves again today." She replied. "Father, can I borrow your dagger?"

"Yes, yes." Her father said absently, lost in thought. "I'm worried about you Anna. When people talk to me about you, they say they can hardly believe that you're my daughter, that you're the daughter of Rosemary Porter! You need to start acting more like a lady."

"Well, father, have you ever thought that maybe I don't want to be a lady!?" Anna asked, outraged. " 'Sit with you're back straight Annabell. Don't slurp Annabell. Don't bloody well breathe Annabell."

"Anna, please don't start." Her father pleaded.

"No! I'm tired of living so prim and proper. You try wearing a corset and skirts all day long and we'll see how you like it!" Anna said menacingly. "Look at poor Elizabeth. She's stuck in skirts all day long, and she never gets any freedom, not with the Commodore constantly at her side."

"Your cousin lives with it because she knows it's her duty, unlike you. You're so naïve. You're not the daughter your mother and I raised you too be." Her father said tiredly.

"Well dearest father, did you ever stop to think that maybe I'm not perfect!?" Anna hissed, and with that, she turned around and stormed up to her room, where she closed the door and bolted it, fuming.

So the truth was finally told. She embarrassed him. Anna had always figured that he never really loved her like he said he did. He was always too busy with his money and business to care about her, and the worst thing was that he just basically admitted it.

Tomorrow she left with David for half the day, and she didn't plan on coming back. She would beg David to take her to Tortuga, even though it's way out of their course. And David would probably refuse, saying that she would never make it there. He would probably be right, but there was better than here.

Well, Annabell would figure out what to do when the time came, but right now sleep was tugging at her brain. She rang for a maid, ordering the maid to wake her at four, and to have her tunic, breeches, and a fresh vest cleaned, and also to have a hot breakfast ready to eat, without telling her father.

The maid nodded, taking Anna's clothes from her to clean. Anna put on a new nightgown and took her hair out of its braid, quickly running a comb through it to get out the tangles. Her hair was naturally wavy, usually untamable, her maid claimed that it had a mind of its own, and Anna's hair had the same spirit as she did: free, independent, and untamable. She was lucky to have gotten it into a nice, neat braid so easily that morning, but Anna knew she was going to pay for it in the morning. Her blue eyes also had the same spirit about them: fierce and wild. They told anybody to think twice about messing with her. Anna's most favorite feature about her was her eyes. Her father claimed that her mother had the same eyes, which was true. Her mother had radiant azul eyes, the thing that stood out the most, out of all her features.

Anna's mother, Rosemary, had died when she was five, on their journey from England. Anna didn't have any distinct memories of her mother. The ones she did have though were fading quickly. Her father used to tell her about Rosemary all the time, how beautiful she was. According to him, she had the best laugh in the entire world.

Anna sighed deftly, climbing into bed. Tomorrow was going to drag on, and she was going to need her energy if she wanted to last it out. She closed her eyes and rolled over multiple times, but sleep wouldn't come. Finally she got into a comfortable position above the covers and a dreamless sleep decided to come at last.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The next morning when the maid shook her awake, Annabell felt at though she had only just closed her eyes. The maid, Clara, had Anna's clothes cleaned and folded at her vanity, and she said that the breakfast would be ready in a moment.

Anna nodded, shooing the maid out of her room so she could get ready quickly and silently. She quickly slipped out of the nightgown and into the tunic and breeches and pulled her vest on, topping it off with a sturdy belt and a pair of riding boots. She quickly and silently ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, were a small, hot breakfast was waiting, just like Clara promised. Anna ate quickly, savoring the flavor, the warm food filling her stomach. When she finished the food, she quickly drank the glass of water and was then out the door before anyone could protest.

Anna made sure that her father's dagger was securely latched to her belt before setting off down to the docks. It was a long walk, but she got there quicker than normal because the town wasn't crowded like it was during the day. David was helping the crew load the cargo onto the ship by the time Anna reached the ship.

"G'mornin' Anna." David greeted. "Sleep well?"

"Good morning David." Anna responded, smiling. "You bet. I went to bed early and slept soundly too."

David tousled the girl's hair. "Tha's good lass. Yer gonna need yer strength."

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Yes, I was having a terrible time figuring out when to cut this chapter off and end it, but I finally decided to do it now. Sorry fellow Davy Jones fans! He wasn't in this chapter, but I hope he will be by either chapter 3 or 4. I also hope to make chapters longer than this one, but I don't know what'll happen… I also apologize if the name Janelle pops up in this chapter anywhere. In the original version, Annabell was going to be called Janelle, but I decided to change it when I rewrote the chapter. I'm hoping, for those of you wondering when I'll update my other stories again, that since it's summer I'll be able to update most, if not all, of my stories.

RnR!!!!